Thursday, January 29, 2009

Shay Doron Back in Israel... Wait, Maybe Not...

Last week, Shay Doron (2003-07) signed a new deal with Ramat Hen of the Israeli league:

The newly crowned Israeli Cup holders accomplished what every team has dreamed of doing in the break as they signed Shay Doron, who has played in Besiktas this season and is up for FIBA's 2008 Player of the year award and the EuroLeague's All Star game.

After leading Ramla to the championship and cup last season with 16.8 points per game, and the Israeli national team to EuroBasket 2009 in the summer, Doron has established herself one of the top players in Europe. She moved to Besiktas this season in order to play in the EuroLeague.

After Besiktas was eliminated from the EuroLeague, Doron returned to Turkey following the holiday break and just this Sunday she scored 19 points in another win, Besiktas is 2nd in the Turkish league standings. Despite her success, which included an All-Star appearance with the foreigners squad, Doron decided to leave Turkey in light of some financial trouble for Besiktas and the backlash against Israel as a result of the operation in Gaza.

The Anatolia News Agency reported that Doron agreed to terms with an Israeli club, but Yalçın asserted that the player would have to return to the Istanbul-based Beşiktaş Cola Turka. "She was on a deal of $140,000 per year, and $85,000 of that contract was paid," said Yalçın. "Our club has served its financial responsibilities and told her that we will not let her sign to another club if she does not return."

The club also issued a statement saying it would apply to the world basketball's governing body FIBA to conclude the dispute.